COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE

If you are reading this, you like cars. You didn’t just come to maineautomall.com to buy a car; you took the extra step to see what was up with this blog, to see what’s up with cars. I like cars, too. I have always been intrigued by the mechanics of the automobile, but mostly I just love the feel and freedom of cruising down the open road; the sensual experience of man and machine.

I am envious of celebrities who have the resources to buy and drive whatever they want. I’m not talking about those that buy status symbols, but those that truly know and love what they drive. I am especially jealous of people like comedians Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. They are not driving to be seen, they buy and drive for the pleasure of the vehicle. If I had their resources I would do exactly the same thing.

Seinfeld in known for his fleet of Porches: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Seinfeld#Car_collection

Leno owns and drives a little of everything: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/

Whether or not you like Seinfeld or Leno as comedians, you have to love their cars. I happen to like both comedians, and I love Seinfeld’s new internet show, COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE.

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/

So basic a concept: pool together comedy, cars and conversation, and capture them on video. It’s Seinfeld and funny guys like Ricky Gervais (my favorite segment), Carl Reiner w/ Mel Brooks (enlightening) and Larry David (clever), driving all over New York City and Los Angeles, stopping to eat and drink coffee. Each episode is unique in location, guest and car. While the humor is entertaining, the real attraction to me is the cars themselves. You get to drive along with Jerry in a different car for each show.

Check out the line-up:

1952 VW BUG, 1960 ROLLS ROYCE SILVER CLOUD, 1962 VW BUS, 1963 VW KARMANN GHIA, 1966 PORCHE DUTCH POLICE CAR, 1967 AUSTIN HEALEY 3000, 1970 MERCEDES 300SEL, 1970 DODGE CHALLENGER TA, 1970 MERCEDES 280 SL, 1976 TRIUMPH TR6.

It’s not just a car nut like me watching these 10 cars, I mean episodes, it’s successful enough for Sony to order another 24 new shows. That means 24 new cars. Not only is the show funny, but it’s a great way to tour through the various neighborhoods of NY & LA, in cars that you will never get to drive on your own. Live vicariously through Seinfeld, and enjoy the ride.
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Winter Driving

If there are any doubts as to the hazards of winter driving, follow this link:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/24/why-are-snowy-roads-like-these-never-closed/#continued

You've seen clips on NBC and the Weather Channel, but this tells the whole story. Four wheel drive and snow treads mean nothing when ice is involved. Stay safe, stay home!

Happy Motoring!

TUMBLING DICE

I know, I know, you’re here to read about cars; but sometimes we need to drift from the hardware, to the habits. People express themselves through their vehicles. Stereotypes abound: rednecks drive pick-ups, blondes cruise in convertibles, and soccer moms haul it all in the mini-van. Drivers can be who they want to be through their wheels. To each their own! However, there is one area that I just plain do not understand. What’s up with the dangling debris hanging from rear view mirrors?

My exhaustive research has turned up everything from the traditional air fresheners, to the clichéd tumbling dice. The list includes prayer beads and Mardi Gras beads, St. Christopher medals, Hawaiian leis, security badges, graduation tassels, plastic skulls, key chains of all shapes and sizes, good luck rabbit’s feet, and even a wayward G-string (no kidding).

In my case, I have no choice. My work requires that I display a parking tag from my mirror. It’s small, tight to the mirror’s stem, but it’s there nevertheless. In my defense, at least it’s not hitting me in the face every time the car makes a move.

Honestly, don’t the dangling distractions drive their owners crazy? Isn’t it annoying to take a mouthful of Mardi Gras beads at every turn? The rattling noise alone would aggravate me. Isn’t it dangerous to have your attention diverted by a dangling rabbit’s foot, especially if it pokes you in the eye? Rolling dice obscures the driver’s visibility and could be illegal. What you choose to dangle could also be embarrassing. Think about it, how do you explain to the police officer that you caused an accident because you were distracted by a G-string?

I’m all for freedom of expression, as long as you drive safely while you do it. Consider demonstrating your personality through your Mini, your Maxima, or the color that you choose for your car, instead of dangling debris. It might make the roads a whole lot safer.

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BAD MANNERS, BAD HABITS, ANNOYING DRIVERS

Have you noticed how good manners are hard to find these days? With the kinetic pace of this electronic age, there seems to be little time, patience or interest in basic niceties. The “Please” and “Thank You” that were so ingrained growing up just aren’t there anymore. Maybe I’m being overly sensitive, but this callous disregard for common courtesies annoys me, especially when it comes to drivers’ habits.

Rarely does a day go by that I don’t witness a rude move by another driver. A little thing like a car cutting in front of me without using a turn signal is annoying to me. It’s a seemingly minor thing, but it’s discourteous and potentially dangerous. What’s so hard about placing a finger on the stalk and engaging a turn signal for a few quick flashes? Is the other driver too busy talking on his cell phone or texting to drive properly?

It doesn’t take long to make a list. Here’s what I’ve seen just recently:

- I am already driving 5 mph over the speed limit, and someone feels they have to tailgate behind me because I’m just not going fast enough. Pass me, or leave me alone.

- There is the driver that knows there is a red light ahead. They either feel that they have to tailgate, or worse yet, they floor it to pass me, then cut me off and slam on their brakes, stopping just in time for the red light. These are the same drivers that have to pass, and then cut in to make an immediate turn. They just can’t wait a few seconds.

- If someone in front of me is going too slow, I turn on my turn signal to begin to pass, and they speed up to prevent it. It’s not a race!

- What about the driver that stays in the passing lane, with his right hand turn signal permanently left flashing, but never returns to the travel lane? It’s illegal and unsafe for me to pass on the right, but what choice do I have? If anything happens, I’m to blame.


- I find the driver with the hand on the horn aggravating. It’s unnecessary to
blow the horn for every move; when making a turn, rounding a bend or whenever another car is in sight. It’s jarring and rude to other drivers.

- Then there is the uncaring shopper in the parking lot of the grocery store.
Don’t place your bags on my car while you open your door, don’t rest your shopping cart against my door, and don’t use my car’s door as a door stop as you swing yours open. It’s selfish and inconsiderate, not to mention that it’s downright destructive.

This is just a partial list, I’m sure that you have your own. There’s no need to be rude behind the wheel. A little courtesy while driving makes the highways a more pleasant place, not to mention a much safer place to travel. Please and thank you!

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HOW’S YOUR PRESSURE?

I’m a car guy! I enjoy the drive, the mechanics and everything to do with cars. But like most other owners and drivers, I sometimes fall short when it comes to the more tedious aspects of cars, namely maintenance. I am diligent when it comes to the important things like oil changes, tire rotations and the latest recalls. On the other hand, when it comes to checking tire pressure, I tend to drop the ball.

I have no excuse for this failure. It’s not that it’s a hard thing to do; just take the cap off of the stem, apply the gauge and read the pressure. You don’t even have to dig out the owner’s manual. Manufacturers make it easy and convenient to get the pressure right by posting the figures on the door saddle. The driver just needs to take the time and do it.

The experts say to check your tire pressure monthly. I imagine few people are that conscientious. Quarterly seems much more realistic, but I have been guilty of only checking mine with the change of the seasons. After several days of sub-zero temperatures, it occurred to me that maybe I should check my cars’ tire pressure. After all, it’s been awhile. All eight tires (two cars) were under inflated by 7 lbs. each, that’s 20% lower than spec. Yikes, that’s not good for a car guy, or for the tires.

I am well aware of the negatives. Everyone knows that the friction caused by under inflated tires increases tire wear, decreasing a tire’s life by as much as 25%. I know that their increased drag can cut down my fuel economy by 5%, and that low tires affect the car’s driving performance, impacting steering, stability and responsiveness. I also know better than to rely on the vehicle’s low pressure sensors. By the time they notify me of a problem, hundreds of miles may have already been driven on low and unsafe tires. And what are the chances that my friendly neighborhood shop checked my tires’ pressure when they rotated them? Most likely they didn’t, and if they did, do I trust them to do it properly? I need to check my tire pressure more often.

The fact is that in cold weather, tires lose pressure. The air in a tire is a gas, when heated it expands, when cooled it contracts. For every 10 degree change in temperature, up or down, tire pressure rises or falls 1 psi. In my case it makes perfect sense. My tires were underinflated by 7 psi, a result of Maine’s 70 degree drop from summer to winter temperatures.

This car guy has been reminded to check his tire pressure often, and maybe once a month is not such a bad idea. At below zero temperatures and blizzard conditions, the last thing I want is a tire “issue”, due to underinflated tires. So, how’s your pressure?

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WINTER IS HERE

Winter is here, please drive carefully. You don't want to end up in one of these videos, do you? Happy and safe motoring!










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FOUR WHEEL DRIVE: Fact & Fiction

You might as well face it, snow is on the way. The clocks have been set back to winter, there is frost on the lawn nearly every morning, and it’s only a matter of days before we wake up and see that first snowfall. You’ll know it when it happens; it’s when you hear the screaming and laughter of the neighborhood kids as they dive into their first snowball fight, signaling that winter is officially here.

Every year we celebrate the change of seasons, and it seems that every year we need to relearn how to drive in the snow. Without fail, the first storm sends a car or two off the road.
It seems that it takes a fender bender to wake drivers up, refreshing their memories to, “Oh yeah, it’s snowing, I need to slow down.” Have you ever noticed that the majority of these “victims” are driving 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles? Fact: 4-wheel or all-wheel drive does not mean you are invincible.

In reality, 4x4 does nothing for winter driving other than to get the vehicle moving. If you are stuck in a drift, or you need to get up your driveway before you snow blow, 4x4 can help. Once you are underway, it does nothing. In fact, most all-wheel drive systems disengage once slippage stops, or when the vehicle reaches a certain rate of speed. Once the vehicle is underway, it’s your tires and your driving habits that keep you on the road.

Quality tread, deep and wide enough to grab the snow and throw it away is what gives you traction in snow. Also, tires made of proper winter rubber that is designed to grip the road in low temperatures helps to keep you on the road. The rubber of summer tires is too brittle to adhere to cold, slippery surfaces, proving down right dangerous in winter conditions.

However, nothing helps more with the challenges of winter driving than just slowing down. Whether you are driving with rear wheel, front wheel, 4x4, or all-wheel drive, the vehicle’s ability to stop is determined by its weight in relation to its brakes, not by how the wheels are driven. Basic physics: an object in motion wants to stay in motion, especially if it’s on ice and snow. In the best of conditions, a heavy full size SUV with extra weight and momentum will take longer to stop than a small car. In winter conditions, the stopping distance is even longer, with an even higher risk of slipping. Of course if it’s icy, even the best studded tires may not help. If you are going too fast for conditions, you will crash. Slow down, and at least you have a chance of avoiding a problem.

I for one can’t wait to drive in the snow again. This will be my first winter with an all-wheel drive vehicle, the Toyota RAV4. Even though I won’t be invincible, I still look forward to enjoying the artificial safety and security of a vehicle with higher clearance and all-wheel drive. Regardless, I will slow down when the snow flies. You should too!

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